As he drove to Kathleen's Tony was filled with mixed feelings. He knew that she would be hurt but he also knew that breaking up with her was the right thing to do. Not only for Angela's sake but for hers as well. It had crossed his mind the night before when he had returned to bed that he had been cheating Kathleen out of the right of being in a relationship with a man who would really and truly love her and wanted to be with her and only her. That man wasn't him and it had never been. He had just been going through the motions these past months. He now knew that he should have never started this relationship in the first place. It had been a mistake. The biggest mistake of his life. Now he was going to make up for it. But he knew that it wouldn't be easy. Breaking up with someone never was, especially when they had no idea. But if he wanted to be with Angela he had to break things off with Kathleen.

He pulled into the parking lot of her apartment building and found a parking space. He turned off the ignition, took a deep breath and got out of his jeep. As he walked towards Kathleen's apartment his nerves were all jumbled. This was something that needed to be done but it wouldn't be easy.

"Well here goes nothing."

He knocked on her door and immediately it opened.

"Tony!! I'm so glad you're here!!" Kathleen exclaimed and threw her arms around him.

"Hi Kathleen." he said removing himself from her embrace.

"Come in." she smiled.

He entered her apartment and looked around. How could he have ever thought for 1 second that he should move in here? It was a nice enough place but it wasn't home. He already had a home and he wouldn't let anyone or anything take it away from him. Angela, Mona, and the kids were his home. Their house was his home. He had foolishy taken it and them for granted. But not anymore.

"Sit down. Do you want anything to drink?"

"No. No thanks. Ummm Kathleen we need to talk."

"Okay. Is this why you called me?"

"Yeah, it is."

They sat down on her couch. He drew another deep breath. He regretted the fact that he was about to hurt her but he knew in the long run it was for the best.

"This isn't easy for me to say. So I'm just going to come out and say it."

"Okay. What is it?"

"I can't move in here with you."

"Oh that's okay. I understand." she smiled.

He couldn't believe it. She wasn't upset at all. In fact she seemed really calm about it. Her next words belied his thoughts.

"I mean I've been thinking the same as you. It would be much better if we found a place of our own. You know a place that doesn't have my history or your history. But a place that would really and truly be ours right from the start."

"Kathleen I.."

"So what do you think we should get? Another apartment? A house?"

"Kathleen, I think you misunderstood me."

"I did? Then what are talking.... Oh my gosh!!" her eyes filled with tears.

"Look Kathleen I'm..."

"Oh Tony!!" she threw her arms around him. "I can't believe this. I've never been happier."

Happy she was happy? What was going on here?

"Oh I just spoiled it didn't I? I'm sorry I guess I just got excited."

"About what?" he asked in confusion.

"Oh come on Tony, I know why you don't want to move in here. You are an old-fashioned guy and you don't think it is right for the 2 of us to live together before we're married." she said smiling.

"No, that isn't it."

"Then what is going on?"

"The reason I can't move in here with you is because I can't see you anymore."

"What? What do you mean you can't see me anymore?" her voice suddenly took on a hard edge.

Tony sighed. "Kathleen, you have to know that I never meant to hurt you. But..."

"But what?!" she snapped. "Does this break-up have anything to do with Angela?!" she asked her voice dripping with disdain as she spoke Angela's name.

"I'm not going to lie to you. Yes, she does."

Kathleen got up from the couch in a fit of rage. She couldn't believe it!! He was dumping her for that stuck-up, boring dish rag?!

"I can't believe you Tony!! You are going to dump me so you can play house with your boring, pathetic stick-in-the-mud boss?!"

"Kathleen..."

"No, come on and tell me Tony!! Why in the hell are dumping me for that drab piece of boring and pathetic...."

"THAT"S ENOUGH!!!" he roared.

She looked at him in shock. She had never seen or heard him so angry. Before she had a chance to reply he continued.

"Look, I know that you are upset and you have every right to be. And I understand that you are hurt and are angry with me." He stood up and continued speaking in a low voice. "But don't you ever and I mean EVER talk about Angela like that again!!"

"Oh well isn't that sweet. You're sticking up for her." Kathleen rolled her eyes in disgust. "I guess this is the part where I should be all noble and wish the 2 of you well?!"

"No, I don't expect you to. Like I said you have every right to be angry."

"Gee thanks." she said sarcastically.

"But the truth is I never should have started dating you in the first place. That was a big mistake."

"A mistake? I'm a mistake?! Oh Tony I'm sorry!! I'm so damn sorry for ruining your life!!" she yelled.

"That's not what I meant." he sighed.

"Then what did you mean Tony?! You just said that dating me was a big mistake."

"Yeah, it was. It was my mistake. Not yours. You and I are all wrong for each other. What we have is a lie."

"A lie? Our relationship is a lie?! Until recently our relationship has been pretty good. At least from my point of view. That is until the night you took me to that restaurant so you could spy on Angela."

"Yeah, and I am sorry about that."

"So you say. So tell me this Tony. Why is our relationship one big lie?"

"Because our feelings aren't genuine."

"Yes, they are."

"No they're not. Can't you see that? What we have is a farce. It's fake."

"Fake? My feelings for you aren't fake! So what are you saying Tony? That you were just going through the motions with me? Was I just some stand in because you were to afraid to be with Angela?!"

"I never meant to hurt you."

"Please spare me your phony sympathy."

"I mean it."

She folded her arms and looked away from him. She was boiling over with anger. After a few minutes she looked back at him.

"So tell me something Tony. How do you know that Angela wants to be with you?"

"I just do."

"Maybe that was true before but how do you know now? HMMM? How do you know she hasn't moved on? For all you know you could tell her that you love her and she could turn you down flat."

"That's a chance I have to take." he said quietly.

"So you are going to throw away what once was a sure thing with us for a maybe thing with Angela?!" she asked incredulously.

"We were never a sure thing we were a...."

"A lie. Yeah, sure we were one, big fat lie." she said shaking her head.

"I uh, I think I better go now."

"Yeah, I think that is a good idea."

He walked to the door and placed his hand on the door knob. Before he opened it he turned to her and said: "I wish you well Kathleen. I hope that some day you find the man who will love you 100%"

"I thought I had."

"I'm sorry you felt like that. I'm sorry I led you on."

"Just go Tony!! Just get the hell out of here!!!"

He did as she asked and exited her apartment. He leaned back against her door and exhaled a deep breath. He had been right. That hadn't been easy. But breaking up with Kathleen would be a piece of cake compared to what was coming up. He walked back to his jeep, climbed in and started for home.

As he drove he hoped and prayed that he would find the right words to say to Angela. He hoped that she would find it in her heart to forgive him and give him another chance.

But most of all? Most of all he hoped he wasn't to late.